Apparel item and method of making and using same

ABSTRACT

A novelty apparel item generally includes a perspiration barrier having a moisture resistant, skin compatible adhesive on one of its surface areas that facilitates attaching the pocket construction to a desired skin area of a user and a water resistant adhesive on opposite one of its surfaces that facilitates securing a pouch to the perspiration barrier, whereby the contents of the pocket remain dry under heavy perpetrating or even submersion under water.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation-in-part patent application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/695,223 entitled “Protective Attachment”, filed on Oct. 28, 2004, which is a divisional patent application of U.S. Ser. No. 09/910,641, entitled “Protective Attachment”, filed on Jul. 20, 2001, which is a continuation-in-part patent application of provisional patent application 60/220,357 filed on Jul. 24, 2000 relating to protective attachments in the form of a pad or pads which can be removably adhered to the bottoms of the feet and other parts of the body and are of a disposable nature, which applications are incorporated herein as though fully set forth.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is sometime desirable to carry on one's person keys, money and identification documents when walking at the beach or poolside in a bathing suit. It is also desirable when one wants to adventure into the ocean or pool water that such valuable items not be left unprotected on the sand or pool deck but rather be carried for security purposes. In still other situations when one is dancing or swimming, it would be desirable to carry such documents and make certain they stay dry. Therefore, it would be highly desirable to have a new and improved apparel item that is not only fun to wear on one's body at the beach or at the poolside, but also that keeps dry and secures small personal items to the body so they can be easily carried.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The apparel item of the present invention provides protection to small valuable items such as money, keys and identification documents by enabling such items to be removably attached to a user selected portion of the body of the user in a snug tight fit that conforms to the contour of the body part covered. The apparel item generally includes a perspiration barrier having a skin compatible water resistant adhesive on one of its surface areas to facilitate attaching the apparel item to a desired skin area of a user and a water resistant adhesive on opposite one of its surfaces to facilitate securing a pouch to the perspiration barrier.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above-mentioned features and steps of the invention and the manner of attaining them will become apparent, and the invention itself will be best understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of an apparel item, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of another apparel item, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the apparel item of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of yet another apparel item, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the apparel item of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of still yet another apparel item, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the apparel item of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of another apparel item, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the apparel item of FIG. 1,

FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a perspiration barrier, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIGS. 11-13 illustrate different size and construction configurations of other apparel items which are constructed in accordance to the present invention; and

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram of the steps performed in assembling the apparel item of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is illustrated an apparel or novelty fashion wear item 10, which is constructed in accordance with the present invention. The apparel item 10 is adapted to be removably attached in a sung tight fit to a user selected body part, such as the torso T of a user U as illustrated in FIG. 1. Although in the preferred embodiment of the present invention the apparel item 10 is shown being worn on the torso of a user, there is no intention of limiting the wearing of the apparel item 10 to only this part of the body. Other parts of the body are just as well suited for supporting the novelty fashion wear item, such as an arm area, leg area, hip area or even the buttock area of the user.

The apparel item 10 provides a solution to a long felt need. That is, many active people, young and old, would like to carry valuables such as identification, hotel key cards, credit cards, money and keys when sun bathing at a sandy beach or at a pool side, but are reluctant since such items can only be carried in large, bulky, and clumsy garment bags. Moreover, if a person wants to adventure away from his or her selected spot on the sandy beach or poolside location, the person must either take and carry the garment bag or in the alternative take and carry the individual items themselves to assure their safety. The present invention solves this problem providing a user with a dose of fun by giving the user the knowledge that the valuable items are now secured to their person and carried in a highly visible, very attractive fashion wear item. Also when desired the carried items may also be concealed.

Considering now the apparel item 10 in greater detail with reference to FIGS. 1 and 9, the novelty apparel item 10 generally comprises a pocket construction 12, and a moisture resistant perspiration barrier 14, that is adapted to be attached to a user selected body part, such as the torso T of a user U. The perspiration barrier 14 is a key feature of the apparel item 10, in that the barrier 14 is designed to adhere in moist environments and maintains a strong cohesive strength even when wet. In this regard, if a user engages in a strenuous activity such as dancing, the perspiration barrier 14 functions not only to keep the contents in the pocket construction 12 dry even though the body of the user U may be profusely sweating, but also keeps the pocket construction 12 tightly secured to the body of the user, even though the user is sweating profusely.

As best seen in FIG. 9, the perspiration barrier 14 generally comprises a single sided polyurethane transfer tape or backing 20 that is sandwiched between two adhesive layers, one adhesive layer being a water resistant laminating adhesive 22, that has an extremely high peel-bond strength with a high temperature tolerance for bonding the perspiration barrier 14 to the pocket construction 12, and the other being an acrylate adhesive 24, which is water resistant and non skin irritating for bonding the perspiration barrier 14 (with the pocket construction 12 affixed thereto) to a selected skin area of the user U.

The water resistant laminating adhesive 22 is a two-sided adhesive tape with a polyurethane backing disposed between the two adhesive layers and is manufactured and sold by 3M through its Bonding Systems Division located at 3 M Center, St. Paul, Minn. 55144-1000 as laminating adhesive 9472 LE, which is a solvent free adhesive. A specification sheet for the laminating adhesive 22 is available from 3M at the address indicated. An alternate two-sided adhesive tape sold by 3M is sold as a 9485 PC tape.

The water resistant non skin irritating acrylic adhesive 24 is also sold by 3M as a Medical Specialties single sided tape for skin bond, as acrylate adhesive tape identified as MSX 5527.

From the foregoing, it should be recognized that the adhesives 22, 24 were selected to accomplish three specific purposes. One that the skin bonding adhesive 24 be non skin irritating and water proof as this adhesive makes direct contact with the skin of the user U, which under strenuous activities will sweat, which moisture could, without the use of the special adhesive characteristic, easily lose its skin boding capacity. Secondly, the bonding strength of the adhesives 22, 24 was chosen so that separation of the fashion wear item 10 from the skin of the user U occurs at the skin T rather that at the pocket construction 12, during removal. Finally, the laminating adhesive 22 was chosen to make certain moisture would not penetrate the pocket construction 12 so that the contents carried within the pocket construction 12 remain dry, even against the sweating skin of the user U.

Considering the perspiration barrier 14 in still greater detail, the layer of skin compatible, water resistant adhesive 24 completely covers one surface of the transfer tape 20 to facilitate removably attaching the pocket construction 12 and the perspiration barrier 14 to the body of the user. To facilitate attaching the pocket construction 12 to the perspiration barrier 14, the layer of water resistant anchoring adhesive 22, completely covers the other surface of the transfer tape 20. In this regard, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pocket construction 12 is permanently fixed to the perspiration barrier 14 via the anchoring adhesive 22 which coats the one surface area of the transfer tape 20.

In order to protect the skin compatible adhesive 24 until such time as the user is ready to attach the novelty item 10 to his or her person, the novelty item 10 is further provided with the removable protection sheet 16 which overlays the skin compatible adhesive 24. In this regard, when the user U is ready to attach the novelty item 10 to his or her person, the user U simply inserts the item or items to be carried into the pocket construction 12, removes the protective sheet 16 from the perspiration barrier 14 by lifting and pulling a peel tab 18 until the protection sheet 16 is completely removed from the perspiration barrier 14 and then grasps the pocket construction 12, pressing it into engagement with a user selected body part by pressing the exposed adhesive layer 24 disposed on the perspiration barrier 14 onto the user selected body part. In this manner, the apparel item 10 is removably secured to the user U allows the user U to carry his or her valuables disposed in the pocket construction 12 in a hands free manner. Although the preferred embodiment is described as having a peel tab, it is contemplated that the peel sheet 16 split as best seen in FIG. 14 step 14. Also, since the skin compatible adhesive is a pressure adhesive, it is also contemplated that a user could first attach the pocket construction 12 to his or her body and then insert the valuables for pressing the construction 12 against the body for extra pressing pressure.

Considering now the perspiration barrier 14 in greater detail with reference to FIG. 9, the perspiration barrier 14 is thin, flexible and water resistant. The pocket construction 12 and perspiration barrier 14 are sufficiently flexible to conform to the contoured shape of a user selected body part. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the most preferred transfer tape 20 is a water resistant sheet of acrylate having a thickness of between about 1 millimeters and about 3 millimeters. Although acrylate has been discussed as the most preferred water resistant material, other thin, flexible water resistant materials are contemplated within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.

Considering now the pocket construction 12 in greater detail with reference to FIG. 1, the pocket construction 12 generally comprises a sheet of construction material 30 that has been cut and formed into a desired pocket or pouch 32 having desired length and width dimensions and a closure flap 34 that facilitates closing the pouch 32 thereby securing any contents disposed therein. The pocket construction 12, further includes a closure, such as a snap fastener 36 that secures the closure flap 34 to a front portion of the pouch 32.

Considering now the construction material 30 of the pocket construction 12, in greater detail, the construction material is a matter of design choice and is selected from a fabric group including cotton, linen, denim, leather, vinyl, polyester, spandex, rayon, and other synthetic fabrics and materials.

Considering now the method 1400 of making the novelty fashion wear item 10 in greater detail with reference to FIG. 14, the method of making the novelty fashion wear item 10 begins at step 1401 wherein a piece of construction material 30 is cut to a desired length and width, such as a length of 8.5 inches and a width of 4.5 inches, to form a desired pocket construction shape. It should be noted that the cut piece of construction material 30 is considered to have a right side 40 containing any pattern design and a wrong side 42, which is the side opposite the pattern design or right side 40.

The cut piece of construction material 30 is then placed wrong side 42 up as shown in step 1403 to measure and mark a pair of fold lines 44 and 46 respectively. In this regard, the first fold line 44 is marked on the wrong side 42 at about 2.75 inches from a top edge portion 43 of the construction material 30 to help facilitate forming the flap 34. The second fold line is marked on the wrong side 42 at about 3 inches from a bottom edge portion 45 of the construction material 30 to help facilitate forming the pouch 32.

Next, at step 1405, a fastener spot designator 49 is marked on the wrong side 42 at about 1 3/8 inches from the top edge portion 43 and about 2.25 inches from a side edge portion 47. This spot marks the location where one part of the snap fastener 36 will be placed. It should be noted at this point that although in the preferred embodiment of the present invention a snap fastener has been described, it is contemplated that other types and kinds of fasteners would work equally well. For example, a Velcro fastener, a plastic zipper lock fastener, a hook and eye fastener, or even a magnetic fastener could be accommodated with equal effect Accordingly, at step 1405 after marking the spot for the fastener, a desired portion of a selected fastener is attached on the spot by either sewing or gluing the fastener part to the wrong side 42 of the material 30.

Next the material 30 is turned over so the right side 40 is facing up at step 1407, thereby allowing another fastener spot designator or indication mark 51 to be marked on the bottom half of the right side 40 at about 1⅜ inches from the bottom edge portion 45 and about 2.25 inches from the side edge portion 47.

Next a sheet of the laminating adhesive tape is cut into a pad 52 having a length dimension of about 2.75 inches and a width dimension of about 4.0 inches. Once the pad is cut to the desired shape and dimensions, a protective peel sheet 54 disposed on one side of the pad 52 is removed exposing the adhesive layer 22. The pad 52 is then placed on the right side 40, centered at about 0.25 inches from each of the side edge portions and at about 3.0 inches from the bottom edge 45, which is just above the bottom fold line 46. This causes the pad 52 to be firmly secured to the right side 40.

At step 1411, the material is once again turned over, so the wrong side 42 is now facing up allowing the material to be cut inwardly from each respective side edge portion along the top fold line 44 by about 0.25 inches.

Next in order to create the flap 34, at step 1413, the side edge portions of the material above the top fold line 42 are folded inwardly to create a pair of side hems 54 and 56 respectively, each having a width dimension of about 0.25 inches. The top edge portion 43 is folded down onto the two folded side edge hems to create a top hem 58. It should be noted that the flap hem can be folded twice in one-eighth inch increments as opposed to the full quarter of an inches to conceal any raw edges of the material. In this regard, some materials fray and some materials do not fray when cut. Accordingly, when the material frays the one-eighth inch folds should be made and when the material does not fray, the quarter inch folds should be made.

At step 1415 the hems 54, 56 and 58 can be sewed or glued into place against the flap material to fully form the flap 34.

Next in order to form the pouch 32, at step 1417, the bottom half of the material below the fold line 46 is folded right side to right side to form another hem 60 having a width of about 0.25 inches. At step 1417 the hem 60 is glued or sewed along the respective side edges of the material.

The bottom portion of the right side of the material is now grasped and folded right side to right side to move as best seen at step 1421 to form side hem portions 62 and 64 respectively creating the construction alignment as seen. The side hems 62 and 64 formed from overlaying the side edges are then sewed or glue together along their entire lengths.

The resulting hemmed construction is now turned inside out at step 1423 so all the pocket seams are inside the pocket and the right side of the material is outwardly facing.

At step 1425 the top flap 34 is folded down allowing the fastener 36 to be engaged, thereby completing the construction of the novelty fashion wear item 10. In this regard, when a user U is ready to use the novelty item all he or she need do is peel the protective sheet 18 from the backside of the perspiration barrier 14 to expose the adhesive as illustrated in step 1427.

It is contemplated within the true scope and spirit of the present invention that modifications may be made to the construction of the pocket 12 and the perspiration barrier 14 to provide other types of apparel items. For example in FIG. 8 apparel item 810 is shown that includes a transparent window pocket 820 in the front and a concealed rear pocket 830 in the rear.

As other examples FIGS. 2-3 illustrate a novelty apparel item 210 having a flap 234 and a flap fastener loop 242 that allows the flap 234 to be secured in a closed position against the pouch portion 232 of the novelty item 210.

FIGS. 4-5 illustrate yet another novelty apparel item 410 which is constructed in accordance to the present invention, that generally includes a construction material 430 having a highly decorative design that can been seen on the pouch 432 and the flap 434. In this embodiment, the flap is secured by a pair of spaced apart Velcro pads indicated generally at 442.

FIGS. 6-7 illustrated still yet another novelty apparel item 610 with a transparent window 620 to expose the interior portion of the pouch 632. In this construction example, the novelty apparel item 610, which includes a closure flap having a plastic zipper lock 642 that can be pressed together to close the opening to the pouch 632. Moreover, a clasp “knob” 643 as best seen in FIG. 7 can be provided to assist the user in opening and closing the zip lock with ease.

As still other examples, FIG. 11 illustrates a foldable novelty apparel item 1110, which is constructed in accordance to the present invention, while FIGS. 12-13 illustrate expandable novelty fashion wear items 1210 and 1310, which are also constructed in accordance to the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 10 thereof there is illustrated another novelty item 1010, which is constructed in accordance to the present invention. The novelty item 1010 is similar in structure to the novelty item 10 except for its perspiration barrier 1014. In this regard, the perspiration barrier 1014 generally comprises a double layer of adhesives 822 and 824 which are separated from one another by a thin polyurethane sheet 820. The adhesive layers 822 and 824, are protected by peel sheets 1016 and 826 respectively. The adhesive layer 824 is a water resistant skin compatible adhesive, while the adhesive layer 826 is a water resistant, extremely high peel bond strength adhesive with a high temperature tolerance. In this regard, when the adhesive layer 826 is in an unprotected state, with the peel sheet 828 removed, it can bonded to a brightly decorated flexible sheet of construction material 30 that can be conformed to the shape of a desired body part. The flexible sheet 30 has a rear perspiration barrier-receiving surface 40 and a front pocket bearing surface 42 as best seen in FIG. 10. With this unique adhesive, which is a laminating adhesive sold by 3M Company a highly decorated pocket (not shown) can be affixed to the pocket bearing surface 42 and maintained in a secured manner.

Based on the foregoing, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein. 

1.-9. (canceled)
 10. A method of pocket construction, comprising: providing a pouch; providing a perspiration barrier having a skin compatible adhesive on one of its surface areas and a water resistant adhesive on opposite one of its surfaces; and securing said pouch to said perspiration barrier.
 11. The method of pocket construction according to claim 10, wherein said step of providing a pouch includes providing a transparent window in an outer wail portion of said pouch to facilitate pouch content viewing purposes.
 12. The method of pocket construction according to claim 10, wherein said step of providing a pouch includes providing said pouch with a closure flap.
 13. The method of pocket construction according to claim 12, wherein the step of providing a closure flap, including providing a fastener on said flap. 14.-20. (canceled)
 21. A method of pocket construction, comprising: providing a perspiration barrier, wherein said perspiration barrier includes: two strips of polyurethane backing wherein one of said two strips of polyurethane backing is coated on one of its surfaces with an acrylic adhesive (24), covering said acrylic adhesive (24) with a protective peel sheet to protect said acrylic adhesive until it is ready for bonding to the skin of a user; and wherein the other one of said two strips of polyurethane backing is sandwiched between two adhesive layers of substantially different types of adhesives; wherein one of the two adhesive layers is a an extremely high peel-bond strength adhesive with a high temperature tolerance; covering said high peel-bond strength adhesive with a protective peel sheet to protect said high peel-bond strength adhesive until it is ready for bonding to a pocket surface; wherein the other one of the two adhesives is an acrylate adhesive; providing a pouch; removing the protective peel sheet from said high peel-bond strength adhesive; and securing said pouch to the uncovered high peel-bond strength adhesive. 